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They Told Us To Move: Dakota—Cassia
by
What happens when an entire community is moved?
Dakota Crescent was one of Singapore's oldest public housing estates and a rental flat neighbourhood for low-income households. In 2016, its residents—many of whom are elderly—were relocated to Cassia Crescent to make way for redevelopment. To help them resettle, a group of volunteers came together and formed the Cassia Reset ...more
Dakota Crescent was one of Singapore's oldest public housing estates and a rental flat neighbourhood for low-income households. In 2016, its residents—many of whom are elderly—were relocated to Cassia Crescent to make way for redevelopment. To help them resettle, a group of volunteers came together and formed the Cassia Reset ...more
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Paperback, 1, 268 pages
Published
2019
by Ethos Books
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The Cassia Resettlement Team has done amazing work - from befriending the residents of Dakota to ensure their individual needs are met to research and advocacy for the inclusion of persons excluded from the system. They did it quietly, but proudly. They had a strong ethos and believed in their work. And that shows from the book, put together with purpose and care, making sure the Dakota-Cassia relocation is documented down. And when you document something, people can continue to know and underst
...more

"The true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members."
In Singapore, decades of strong economic growth have resulted in a rapid rise in living standards for the vast majority of its citizens - a burgeoning middle class, high levels of educational attainment and literacy, as well as occupational stability in the form of homeownership. But what about those left behind?
Through the lens of personal realities; the stories of the elderly poor and low-income rental ...more
In Singapore, decades of strong economic growth have resulted in a rapid rise in living standards for the vast majority of its citizens - a burgeoning middle class, high levels of educational attainment and literacy, as well as occupational stability in the form of homeownership. But what about those left behind?
Through the lens of personal realities; the stories of the elderly poor and low-income rental ...more

Written in the style of interviews followed by reflection pieces of the volunteers who were a part of the team which worked with the residents. A lot of repeated themes, and gave me a greater understanding of the situations which these residents face living in rental units, but was not as enlightening as This is What Inequality Looks Like nor did it feel as well-written.
Favourite Quotes:
"Tong, it seems, had internalised a narrative far too common in a society that glorifies self-reliance and in ...more
Favourite Quotes:
"Tong, it seems, had internalised a narrative far too common in a society that glorifies self-reliance and in ...more

This is a compilation of interviews, ethnographic insights, and sociology essays reflecting on key phrases and themes captured by the interview data. It’s a decent book that explores the disruption and transition process that Dakota residents (often elderly and definitely low-wage) had to endure when forced by the authorities to relocate. Texts like these are important to help us gain perspective on life in singapore beyond our immediate social group, which is often warped and makes us take our
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This is an important book of my colleague Ng Kok Hoe at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore, which aims to shed light on one side of the Singapore's public housing experience that is often unmentioned. It does so telling the stories of hardship of those people who had the greatest challenges in adapting to the public housing policies. It is important to recognize these voices, first because ignoring them is adding more hardship to these people's lives. Seco
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These days there’s so much emphasis placed on the ever-changing face of Singapore and its ever-moving classes, so this book is a necessary reminder that even in this city that’s perpetually moving, there are people rooted to a sense of place and time who cannot be ignored or forgotten. It felt like a privilege to hear from residents of Dakota Crescent themselves what the place meant to them and how they felt about their relocation. There was also a lot of valuable context about the evolution of
...more

It's unfair to say if I like or dislike this book. I think it doesn't intend to be liked or love, it perhaps intends to teach interested but still unaware readers like myself.
I learnt a lot! Highly recommended!
My favourite quote:
“An economy of gratitude can generate an oppression of goodwill. Channelling resources into things and programmes which do not address current unmet needs is not only wasteful, but also oppressive” (Ad Maulod, 112) ...more
I learnt a lot! Highly recommended!
My favourite quote:
“An economy of gratitude can generate an oppression of goodwill. Channelling resources into things and programmes which do not address current unmet needs is not only wasteful, but also oppressive” (Ad Maulod, 112) ...more

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A riveting and engaging collection of multiple voices. Prof Ng takes curious readers to the very physical community as they listen to the unique stories by many who call the place a home. Through the heartfelt sharings, the book probes the readers to rethink a citizen-centric policy design and sensible engagement of residents - a blatant contrast to the cold and ordered displacement - in relocating persons from their homes to their new houses.
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